Your work sounds ridiculous. If you love it, sure, that's fine. But if you are working hours like that and stressed and unhappy all the time, figure out how much money you want to maintain your desired lifestyle, and look for a position that better fits your needs.

Yeah, I was partly trying to figure out if my experience was unusual. I don't want to assume grass is greener when it's not.

IME there are as many crappy employers out there that work their staff to death as there are cushy 40-45hr gigs where most actuaries still have their sanity.

Part of it is about working smart, but sometimes the employer will set you up to fail. I know several who have made lateral moves out of consulting or sweat shop environments into 40-hour/week positions. Most of them are mid-career actuaries making around $200k total comp in the Midwest and Southeast.

Up to you if you seek employment elsewhere, but I assure you there is much greener grass out there if you look for it.

It’s a bit unclear what job level you’re at. At the very top levels of large organizations, I think the available opportunities for similar comp and less hours diminishes.

I can’t speak from experience, but I’ve only come across a small handful of people who manage to pull in $300k+ while keeping their work week under 50hrs. Most of them are workaholics who would spend just as much time in the office regardless of work load.

For those who are shrugging off the value of the OP’s stock options, we could be talking several hundred thousand if he’s in senior management. Said another way, those options could shave years off of his retirement age.

IME there are as many crappy employers out there that work their staff to death as there are cushy 40-45hr gigs where most actuaries still have their sanity.

Part of it is about working smart, but sometimes the employer will set you up to fail. I know several who have made lateral moves out of consulting or sweat shop environments into 40-hour/week positions. Most of them are mid-career actuaries making around $200k total comp in the Midwest and Southeast.

Up to you if you seek employment elsewhere, but I assure you there is much greener grass out there if you look for it.

To this day, I have never found the cushy 40 hr gig. My work environment(s) have been very similar to what OP describes. I really need to figure out where to find this greener grass. Wish it could be done without moving...

It seems that more and more, my company's expectation is that everybody is supposed to work that hard, regardless of level, and if you're not willing to, we'll find somebody who is.

I'm not nearly as experienced as you, but that's been the attitude at every place I've been at. It honestly baffles me when people talk about the flexibility, 40 hr cushy jobs, and $150K+ salary. I'm really starting to think this oversaturation of the field (probably not at your level though) has just caused employers to start treating employees as if they are disposable. IME, they think valuing a work life balance is starting to mean you're lazy and not cut out for the work. To give an example, at my last job even pulling 60+ hour regular weeks, my manager stated that because I didn't regularly come in on Sundays, he doubted my commitment to my job and had no problem looking for someone else (the last part was very passive aggressive, but that was essentially the message).

EDIT: But I'm not disagreeing with other posters's points that there are better jobs out there. I certainly believe there are. Just don't know where to find them.

It’s a bit unclear what job level you’re at. At the very top levels of large organizations, I think the available opportunities for similar comp and less hours diminishes.

I can’t speak from experience, but I’ve only come across a small handful of people who manage to pull in $300k+ while keeping their work week under 50hrs. Most of them are workaholics who would spend just as much time in the office regardless of work load.

I think it's reasonable for Senior Management to work that kind of hours. OP doesn't sound like he's describing a senior management position.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElPatron

For those who are shrugging off the value of the OP’s stock options, we could be talking several hundred thousand if he’s in senior management. Said another way, those options could shave years off of his retirement age

the stress could shave years off his life, too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westley

"If you're not here on Saturday, don't even bother showing up on Sunday".

Coming in on Sunday is not even an expectation during busy season at most consulting firms (have worked at or are familiar with many where Saturday is expected).

I worked in a job where we were expected to come in on Sundays during busy season. I never worked a Saturday, v though.

(I think my boss was trying to avoid being dragged to church by his wife.)

When I complain about working 60 hours in my "light" weeks, several of my non-actuary friends seem unsympathetic. To them, that's what it takes to be paid well.

Are you in the Northeast?
I would say 55 is the top I can do without losing quality.

__________________

Spoiler:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agadefe

Physical violence as acceptable reaction or outdated masculine bravado as a positive quality is definitely not something the country should be moving towards or qualities we want to see in a President.

do they? i think it varies with them too and i'm guessing they also are unhappy about it.

Residents, ibankers, startup employees, biglaw lawyers, and some software engineers are in this category. Of course they aren't going to be sympathetic, lol...professional success defines their lives and they even brag about the hours they work.

If you complain to your more ambitious friends, it's like "lol, that's cute."

If you complain to your less ambitious friends, it's like "dude, you make $X. That's a lot, so stop complaining."

It's really up to OP to decide what their optimal work/life balance is.